Evil Clowns
dal 25/9/2014 al 7/3/2015
Segnalato da
Marion Auburtin
Blue Noses
Barbara Breitenfellner
The Cacophony Society
Kimberly Clark
Deichkind
Constant Dullaart
George Grosz
Guerrilla Girls
Insane Clown Posse
The Joker
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Krusty the Clown
Laibach
Renzo Martens
Ronald McDonald
The Northampton Clown
Novi kolektivizem
Pennywise
Der Plan
Pogo the Clown
Abner Preis
Pussy Riot
The Residents
Roee Rosen
Aura Rosenberg
Christoph Schlingensief
Cindy Sherman
Super A
Jeffrey Vallance
The Yes Men
Inke Arns
25/9/2014
Evil Clowns
Hartware Medien Kunst Verein HMKV, Dortmund
The exhibition explores the often disquieting figure of the clown, which has made an "uncanny" career in recent years. Today clowns appear in a wide range of contexts including anti- advertisement, political activism , TV series, horror films, pop musicand in contemporary art.
With works by: Anonymous, Marion Auburtin (FR), Blue Noses (RU), Barbara Breitenfellner (DE), The Cacophony Society (US), Kimberly Clark (NL), Deichkind (DE), Constant Dullaart (NL), George Grosz (DE), Guerrilla Girls (US), Insane Clown Posse, the Joker, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Krusty, Laibach (SI), Renzo Martens (NL), the Northampton Clown, Novi kolektivizem (SI), Ronald McDonald, Pennywise, Der Plan (DE), Pogo, Abner Preis (IL/US/NL), Pussy Riot (RU), The Residents (US), Roee Rosen (IL), Aura Rosenberg (US/DE), Christoph Schlingensief (DE), Cindy Sherman (US), Super A (DE), Jeffrey Vallance (US), The Yes Men (US).
Curated by Inke Arns
‘Dangerous clowns are standing by the side of the road’, sang the Düsseldorf band Der Plan as early as 1979. The exhibition Evil Clowns explores the often disquieting figure of the clown, which has made an “uncanny” career in recent years. Today (evil) clowns appear in a wide range of contexts including (anti-)advertisement (Ronald McDonald and various spoofs), political activism (The Yes Men), TV series (Krusty in The Simpsons), horror films and Hollywood productions (Killer Clowns from Outer Space; Pennywise in Stephen King’s It; the Joker as Batman’s opponent), pop music (Der Plan, The Residents) and in contemporary art. The masked jester makes us laugh – but behold: There’s Nothing Funny About a Clown in the Moonlight (Lon Chaney). This was again demonstrated recently by the Northampton Clown. The international exhibition Evil Clowns at Hartware MedienKunstVerein explores this ambivalent character. ’Send in the clowns!’ (Frank Sinatra)
As part of the exhibition Evil Clowns HMKV cooperates with
Jeu de Paume in Paris, who have commissioned new work by Constant Dullaart (NL).
The Cacophony Society selection was curated by Marie Lechner.
On the occasion of the exhibition a book will be published in January 2015 containing essays by Inke Arns, Mark Dery, Judith Funke and Marie Lechner.
Program Tips: On Saturday, 27 September 2014 the 14th Dortmund DEW21 Museum Night will take place. On this day the Dortmunder U will open only at 4 pm.
Supported by the Art Foundation of NRW (Kunststiftung NRW).
In collaboration with Jeu de Paume (Paris).
Image: Marion Auburtin, Marionette (clown maléfique), Oil on paper, 31 x 41 cm, from the series La Nuit des Masques, 2013
Press contact:
Dr. Inke Arns, T + 49 231 496642-0 F + 49 231 496642-29 presse@hmkv.de
Opening: Friday, 26 September 2014, 7 pm
with a performance by Super A: Bad Joke (White Lies)
Hartware MedienKunstVerein (HMKV)
at the Dortmunder U, Level 3
Tickets: €5 / €2,50 concessions
Opening hours
Tue-Wed 11am-6pm
Thu-Fri 11am-8pm
Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
Mon closed